Album Review
H20 - Nothing To ProveH20 - Nothing To Prove

H20 are a band who have had a long career so far and from the quality of Nothing To Prove it's safe to say that the band have a really healthy future ahead of them. 'Nothing To Prove' is a ten track album that lasts for just under 25 minutes, it’s tight sounding, fast, furious and catchy. Chad Gilbert from New Found Glory has produced the album and he has done a sterling job, the album features guest vocals from many different artists from within the hardcore/punk scene.

The album starts off with a sound snippet of a kid talking before blasting off into the opening track '1995' and what a track it is, from the start it’s fast and furious with hardcore style vocals dominating the song, the drums are loud and pounding, the guitar riffs are thick fast and crunchy and before you know it the song has finished, but get used to it as this is how the whole album is; short but sweet.

The album title track 'Nothing To Prove' is a proper sing along affair with such a catchy chorus with frontman Toby Morse screaming out "Me and all my friends, We've got nothing to prove, Nothing to lose", Roger Miret features with guest vocals here and adds a good hardcore edge to such a stand out catchy tune, this is how punk rock should be, short, loud and straight to the point.

'Sunday' sounds a lot different from the rest of the songs on the album, the song is about growing up without a father and then ending up being a father yourself, the lyrics are extremely clever and the song has such a catchy streak about it.

The opening guitar riffs on 'Unconditional' are top stuff, the song builds up to be such a happy sing along song in the style of bands such as Homegrown, Allister and Zebrahead and works pretty well for H20, the guitar solo halfway through the song makes a good break down.

Some familiar names pop up with vocals on 'Nothing To Prove' and it was good to hear Kevin Seconds providing some vocals for 'Fairweather Friend', the song is quite slow paced compared to the rest of the album but is just as catchy and listenable as the rest.

H20 have saved the best for last, the closing track on the album 'What Happened?' is such a killer song and stands out more than anything else on the album, it has an Anti-Flag style sound, the song is about how people care more about the image before the art with people liking bands for what they look like and not what they sound like, which is quite pathetic really but it’s the way the music scene has become, the lyrics are clever with front man 'Toby Morse' screaming "But now the biggest part, is about the image and not the art!!!, fashion before passion, and it makes, it makes me mad that I should have to ask" the biggest surprise and pleasing bit about the song is towards the end when the one and only Matt Skiba from Alkaline Trio pops up with his distinctive vocals to sing "Lost a lifetime ago it seems you gave up your wildest dreams but I refuse to let mine go (I took an oath) you can find me here with open heart and ears refusing to surrender, I can't believe they don’t remember what it feels like to be young" and finishes the album perfectly.

'Nothing To Prove' shows that H20 have nothing to prove what so ever, the album is stunning and is easily the best album the band have released so far, the idea of guest vocals has worked really well and has helped add variety. H20 clearly have all the right elements of punk rock and can pull it off so well, seriously go and treat yourself to 'Nothing To Prove', it is worth every single penny.

5/5

Review by Trigger
 Band Members

Todd Friend
Todd Morse
Rusty Pistachio
Adam Blake
Toby Morse
 Track Listing
1. 1995
2. Nothing To Prove (Ft. Roger Miret)
3. Sunday
4. A Thin Line (Ft. Freddy Criecen)
5. Unconditional
6. Still Here (Ft. Civ)
7. Fairweather Friend (Ft. Kevin Seconds & Lou Koller)
8. Heart On My Sleeve
9. Mitts
10. What Happened (Ft. Matt Skiba & Lou Koller
 Band Related Links
H20 Myspace
H20 Official Website
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?